Forget the Hilton. (Hotels in South Korea in general)

Member Name: michaelhudson

Product:	Hotels in South Korea in general
Date:	27/07/01 (273 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap., Yogwans can be found everywhere

Disadvantages: English is not widely spoken to a good standard., No meals are provided.

Like most things in South Korea accomodation falls into two extremes. On the one hand you have the usual assortment of hotels(rated super-deluxe,deluxe,first-class,second-class and third-class)catering predominantly for visiting American amd Japanese businessmen. On the other, and far more appealing for the budget traveller, are the indigineous yogwan, yoinsuk and minbak.

Yogwans are the Korean equivalent of the Japanese Ryokan but without any meals included. You can choose between a western syle bedroom or sleep on the floor Korean style. The latter option is not as bad as it might first sound-you are given a yo(cotton-filled mattress with a removable cover), an ibul(cotton quilt)and a pegea(a firm,cylindrical pillow filled with rice). Simailar to the Japanese futon and surprisingly comfortable, these rooms have the added benefit of ondol(underfloor heating) in the winter months. All the yogwans I have stayed in have also had colour T.V.'s(usually cable with some English language channels such as CNN and BBC World), a fridge with some complimentary drinks and towels, shampoo etc in the bathroom. Like hotels, yogwans are ranked and priced accordingly. While not always a distinguishing factor, yogwan with the word jang attached to the name are usually of a slightly higher quality. Likewise yogwans with hotel, motel or park added. Yogwans currently cost in the region of 25000 to 30000 Won per night(around fifteen pounds), although this may rise to 40000 Won near beaches or popular tourist sites.

There is a plethora of yogwans in Korea, and you'll certainly have a choice of several near any major bus or train station(with the curious exception of Seoul's Express Bus Terminal where you'll only find luxury hotels such as the Marriott). You pay per room not per person, although some places may baulk if you try to squeeze five or more people into a single room(which is possible if you opt for the Korean style rooms). Yogwans usually ha
ve five or six floors and can be located by looking for a symbol featuring a circle broken at the top by three lines representing steam rising from a bathtub(the same symbol is also used for public bathhouses so exercise a little caution before you enter). One note of caution:some of these place double as "Love Motels"-discreet places where Koreans can get a little extra-marital action, and I have heard of one occasion when a foreign guest went out for the afternoon and came back to find his room had been allocated to a couple on an hourly basis-to cut a long story short he was informed of this after he walked in on them in the shower. A cursory glance around the place should leave you in no doubt, unless that is you think heart shaped beds, condom machines on every corridor and an extensive range of 'blue' movies are usual hotel facilities. Recomended yogwans in Seoul include the Emerald Hotel(Tel: 02 743-2001, near Jonggak subway station) and Trek Korea in Taehangno near Hyewha Station on subway line 4(the latter arranges trekking tours to seldom-visited areas of Korea and can be contacted via email at trekorea@chollian.dacom.co.kr).

Yoinsuk are basically yogwans with fewer facilities and without private bathhrooms. They are gradually disappearing as Korean accomodation moves upmarket. If you are really on a tight budget you might want to check out the Inn Daewon(on the Sejong Cultural Centre side of Kwanghwamun subway station). The twenty rooms here are priced between 9-16000 Won although there is only one bathroom for the entire building(Tel:738 4308).

Minbak(homestay) accomodation is almost always found in rural and mountain areas. Families rent rooms, usually on a seasonal basis, at rates roughly comparable to yogwan prices. Cheju-do is the best place to find Minbak accomodation( I wouldn't recommend it in Seoul but if you want to experience living with a Korean family you can get further information by emailing the
Labo International Exchange Centre(klabo@chollian.co.kr) or the Korea Youth Exchange Promotion Association at kyepa2@kyepa.or.kr).

If you're thinking of coming to Korea for a holiday or-not as unlikely as it may sound with the World Cup coming up next year-I'd highly recommend you give the major hotels a miss and opt for yogwan accomodation. You'll not only save a lot of money but you'll also get a chance to sample the real Korea.

SOME USEFUL PHRASES

One disadvantage of staying in yogwans is that English is not always spoken. The following phrases should help you out:

bang-ee issoyo? Do you have a room? (pronounce the soy as in Soy Sauce).

Nay, issoyo=Yes, we do.

Anio, obsoyo=No, we don't.

Olma-im-nee-ka? How much does it cost?
As you probably will not understand the response, ask for a kyay-san-gee(y as in young) or calculator.

bang-ul bol-sue iss-sum-nee-ka? Can I see the room?

Han-sheek bang=Korean-style room.
Yogwan owners will assume you want a Western-style room. If you do want to squeeze a few more people into the room it's better to ask for this.

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